Good Morning, New York! State lawmakers are facing a weekend full of Zoom meetings as they continue to hash out a budget that is now almost a month late. New tax hikes are possible both at the state and local level. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Friday, April 25th, 2025.

WHERE’S KATHY: In Albany, doing an interview with NewsChannel 9’s ‘Newsmakers with Andrew Donovan.’

WHERE’s ERIC: No public schedule available

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Non-essential helicopter flights in NYC could be coming to an end. Following a fatal crash in the Hudson that killed five tourists and their pilot, city lawmakers approved restrictions on tourist and business flights from city-owned heliports that don't meet federal noise standards. While supporters say the move will reduce noise and improve safety, the aviation industry warns it could hurt tourism and faces potential legal challenges. (Gothamist)

— Remember those renewed Columbia protests everyone was expecting? They were a no-show on Thursday, despite plans for new anti-war encampments being revealed. Students enjoyed campus as normal instead, and police officers left the scene early. Some observers suggested the student body's appetite for protesting has waned, especially given increased federal scrutiny and the administration's crackdown on campus activism. (NBC News)

— The City Council just passed a package of bills that strengthen civil rights and expand healthcare access for transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex individuals, in defiance of federal rollbacks. One bill requires the city to offer more public resources, while another will protect people traveling to New York for gender-affirming care from out-of-state lawsuits. (amNY)

Capitol Gains

— New York lawmakers are gearing up for a weekend of virtual meetings as they strive to finalize the state budget. Despite approving an eighth budget extender, key sticking points remain, like the Housing Access Voucher Program and potential mask mandates. While Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins is optimistic about wrapping up negotiations next week, Assembly Speaker Heastie is playing it coy until he briefs his members. (City & State)

— Upstate NY localities are warning that proposed tax hikes could overshadow Gov. Hochul's planned $3B "rebate" checks. Local officials are pushing for more unrestricted aid from the state, arguing that Hochul's one-time checks won't offset rising property taxes needed to fund essential local services. Some lawmakers agree the checks should be reduced and instead find uses elsewhere in the budget. (State of Politics)

— NYC lawmakers are dusting off an old idea to tax stock trades in the state, hoping it could generate billions to offset potential federal funding cuts under a second Trump administration. State Sen. James Sanders and Assembly Member Phil Steck are pushing to reinstate a five-cent tax on stock trades, projecting $14-$16 billion annually. Gov. Hochul's office says she would review the bill if it passes the legislature, but faces an uphill battle thanks to her commitment to keeping taxes flat. (City & State)

Trail Mix

— Letitia James is turning to a familiar face for legal backup. Facing mortgage fraud accusations, the NY Attorney General's office hired Abbe Lowell, best known for defending Hunter Biden, to represent James. Lowell claims the accusations are "retribution" from Trump. (NY Post)

— A proposal from City Council member and comptroller candidate Justin Brannan would use $500 million in NYC pension funds to invest in universal child care. If implemented, experts say it would be the first time the comptroller's office would be harnessed to fund child care, though rival candidate Mark Levine has also released a report on the need this. Brannan's plan would target both the city’s affordability crisis and potential funding cuts from the Trump administration. (Gothamist)

— George Santos is about to learn his fate, with sentencing set for Friday on Long Island for fraud and identity theft. Prosecutors are pushing for a seven-year prison sentence, arguing Santos remains unrepentant despite his guilty plea. Meanwhile, Santos calls the proposed sentence 'ridiculous' claiming he's working to make restitution while prosecutors are using his social media posts against him. (ABC7)